Galloway, Joseph

1740 – Moved with his father to Pennsylvania, where he received a liberal schooling. He studied law, was admitted to the bar and began practice in Philadelphia.

1757-1775 – Galloway was a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.

1776 – In December, Galloway joined the British General Howe and accompanied him on his capture of Philadelphia.

– Served as Speaker of the House.

– Galloway was a member of the Continental Congress, where he proposed a compromise plan for Union with Great Britain which would provide the colonies with their own parliament subject to the crown.

1977 – He signed the nonimportation agreement, but was opposed to independence of the Thirteen colonies and remained loyal to the King. Ferling argues that Galloway’s conduct was motivated partly by opportunism, and partly by genuine philosophical principles.

– Galloway urged reform of the imperial administration and was critical of the trade laws, the Stamp Act, and the Townshend Acts enacted.

– He had a conciliatory plan to end the disputes between London and the colonies.

1778 – He moved to London. He was influential in convincing the British that a vast reservoir of Loyalist support could be tapped by aggressive leadership, thus setting up the British invasion of the South. The New York General Assembly convicted him of treason and confiscated his estates.

1803 – He died in Watford, Hertfordshire, England on the 29th of August.